Iranian Higher Education
Volume 16, Issue 4 (2025)
ihej 2025, 16(4): 43-67 |
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Salehi M J, Einkhah F, Abdi N. The Livelihood of Faculty Members in Iranian Universities and the Seventh Development Plan. ihej 2025; 16 (4) :43-67
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2087-en.html
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2087-en.html
1- Assistant Professor, Department of Economics of Higher Education and Human Resource, Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education, Tehran, Iran.
2- Postdoctoral Researcher of Higher Education, Department of Education. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. University of Mazandaran. Babolsar. IRAN ,F.eynkhah@umz.ac.ir
3- Master's in Economic Development and Planning, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
2- Postdoctoral Researcher of Higher Education, Department of Education. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. University of Mazandaran. Babolsar. IRAN ,
3- Master's in Economic Development and Planning, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract: (104 Views)
Objective: Achieving the missions and strategies of any organization requires appropriate foundations and conditions, among which the presence of qualified human resources is essential. Therefore, the development of human resources in higher education institutions is a key priority for fulfilling the objectives of Iran’s Seventh Five-Year Development Plan. The present study seeks to answer the following questions: What has been the real income (salary) and living conditions of faculty members in recent years? And does the current livelihood status of faculty members align with the goals set forth in the Seventh Development Plan?
Method: This applied research employs a mixed-methods approach. Data collection was conducted through library-based research. In the first part of the study, to determine the real income (salary) of faculty members, a secondary quantitative method was used by analyzing data available from official national websites. The extracted data were analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS software. The real salary of faculty members was estimated by normalizing nominal income using three indicators: the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the exchange rate, and the free-market gold price. In the second part, the Seventh Development Plan was analyzed through qualitative content analysis in the light of the quantitative findings.
Findings and Results: The real income of faculty members over the past 12 years has shown a fluctuating trend. In four specific periods (2004, 2019, 2021, and 2022), their purchasing power increased. However, it has steadily declined in the recent years. A review of real salary trends, including income adjusted to Dollar and gold values indicates a persistent decline in faculty members' purchasing power, such that in the years 2020–2023, their purchasing power dropped even below that of the early years of the study (2001–2003). Given the direct impact of faculty income and motivation on various scientific and innovation indicators—such as research output, internationally registered patents, the share of medium- and high-tech products in GDP, and the Innovation Index—it is evident that achieving these goals will face serious challenges if faculty purchasing power is not improved during the Seventh Plan. Furthermore, a comparison of annual faculty income in Iran with international benchmarks reveals that Iranian faculty members earn significantly less, which may hinder efforts to attract and retain top talent and specialists, thereby jeopardizing the realization of national development goals.
Method: This applied research employs a mixed-methods approach. Data collection was conducted through library-based research. In the first part of the study, to determine the real income (salary) of faculty members, a secondary quantitative method was used by analyzing data available from official national websites. The extracted data were analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS software. The real salary of faculty members was estimated by normalizing nominal income using three indicators: the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the exchange rate, and the free-market gold price. In the second part, the Seventh Development Plan was analyzed through qualitative content analysis in the light of the quantitative findings.
Findings and Results: The real income of faculty members over the past 12 years has shown a fluctuating trend. In four specific periods (2004, 2019, 2021, and 2022), their purchasing power increased. However, it has steadily declined in the recent years. A review of real salary trends, including income adjusted to Dollar and gold values indicates a persistent decline in faculty members' purchasing power, such that in the years 2020–2023, their purchasing power dropped even below that of the early years of the study (2001–2003). Given the direct impact of faculty income and motivation on various scientific and innovation indicators—such as research output, internationally registered patents, the share of medium- and high-tech products in GDP, and the Innovation Index—it is evident that achieving these goals will face serious challenges if faculty purchasing power is not improved during the Seventh Plan. Furthermore, a comparison of annual faculty income in Iran with international benchmarks reveals that Iranian faculty members earn significantly less, which may hinder efforts to attract and retain top talent and specialists, thereby jeopardizing the realization of national development goals.
Type of article: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/02/10 | Accepted: 2026/03/19 | ePublished ahead of print: 2025/07/2
Received: 2025/02/10 | Accepted: 2026/03/19 | ePublished ahead of print: 2025/07/2
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